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When you come to Panama you have to see the Panama Canal. Many visitors go to the Miraflores Locks near Panama City to see ships come and go. Some just go on line and visit the Panama Canal Authority web site to look at the pictures from Miraflores on the Panama Canal Authority web cams.

The best way to see the Panama Canal is with a cruise line.

Cruise Lines and the Panama Canal; Where to go and What to See; Whom to Use

First, what to see in Panama starts with the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal is the system of man made channels, locks, dams, and artificial lakes that connect the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama. Since its completion in 1914 the Panama Canal has allowed shipping to cross the fifty mile wide isthmus at the narrowest part of the Americas. The Panama Canal locks allow ships to enter the system from either ocean and to be raised to the level of artificial Lake Gatun, 26 meters above sea level, to transit central Panama before being lowered to sea level on the other side.

On each end of the Panama Canal are approach channels dredged from the sea bed. Then there are the Panama Canal locks, two sets on the Pacific end and one set on the Atlantic (Caribbean) end. In the middle you pass across artificial Lake Gatun formed by the damming of the Chagres River and through the Gaillard Cut, a ditch dug through what was a mountain ridge before they created the lake. The passage takes about 9 hours.

What Cruise Line to use and When to Visit the Panama Canal

For any cruise line and cruise the best time to visit the Panama Canal is from late October to April which is the Panama dry season. Summer (Verano) in Panama is the dry season and winter (Invierno) is the rainy season which is May to October. Panama Canal weather is either warm and dry or warm and wet. If you take a side tour involving a little walking bring sun screen, an umbrella, and insect repellant.

Available cruise lines offer cruise lengths from 7 to 21 days and Panama Canal cruises depart from either coast of the United States and arrive at the other.

These cruise lines offer cruises to the Panama Canal and both Caribbean and Western Mexico ports of call. Crystal Cruises, Carnaval Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Windstar Cruise Line to name a few all offer Panama Canal cruises.

Some Cruise Lines offer the Panama Canal and side trips, not Full Passage

There are cruises lines that enter from the Panama Canal from the Pacific and stop at Gamboa for day trips to sights such as Canopy Towers for bird watching in paradise. These cruises then return to the Pacific without a full transit of the Panama Canal.

Two Local Cruise Lines and Panama Canal Cruises

For residents or long term visitors to Panama a great canal cruise is to take a smaller boat from Gamboa near Panama City to Colon on the Caribbean and then return on one of the passenger cars of the Panama Canal Railway.

However you do it come to see the Panama Canal from the water. Choose a cruise line, book a trip and visit Panama. The Panama Canal is waiting for you.